Instagram Begins Randomly Showing Users AI-Generated Images of Themselves (technologyreview.com)
- Reference: 0175842995
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/01/07/0213218/instagram-begins-randomly-showing-users-ai-generated-images-of-themselves
- Source link: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/06/1108679/ai-generative-search-internet-breakthroughs
> Instagram has begun testing a feature in which Meta's AI will [1]automatically generate images of users in various situations and put them into that user's feed . One Redditor posted over the weekend that they were scrolling through Instagram and were presented an AI-generated slideshow of themselves standing in front of "an endless maze of mirrors," for example. "Used Meta AI to edit a selfie, now Instagram is using my face on ads targeted at me," the person [2]posted . The user was shown a slideshow of AI-generated images in which an AI version of himself is standing in front of an endless "mirror maze." "Imagined for you: Mirror maze," the "location of the post reads."
>
> "Imagine yourself reflecting on life in an endless maze of mirrors where you're the main focus," the caption of the AI images say. The Reddit user told 404 Media that at one point he had uploaded selfies of himself into Instagram's "Imagine" feature, which is Meta's AI image generation feature. People on Reddit initially did not even believe that these were real, with people posting things like "it's a fake story," and "I doubt that this is true," "this is a straight up lie lol," and "why would they do this?" The Redditor has repeatedly had to explain that, yes, this did happen. "I don't really have a reason to fake this, I posted screenshots on another thread," he said. 404 Media sent the link to the Reddit post directly to Meta who confirmed that it is real, but not an "ad."
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> "Once you access that feature and upload a selfie to edit, you'll start seeing these ads pop up with auto-generated images with your likeness," the Redditor told 404 Media. A Meta spokesperson told 404 Media that the images are not "ads," but are a new feature that Meta [3]announced in September and has begun testing live. Meta AI has an "Imagine Yourself" feature in which you upload several selfies and take photos of yourself from different angles. You can then ask the AI to do things like "imagine me as an astronaut." Once this feature is enabled, Meta's AI will in some cases begin to automatically generate images of you in random scenarios that it thinks are aligned with your interests.
[1] https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/01/06/1108679/ai-generative-search-internet-breakthroughs
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/ABoringDystopia/comments/1ht7fft/used_meta_ai_to_edit_a_selfie_now_instagram_is/
[3] https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/metas-ai-product-news-connect/
AI has replaced travel (Score:2)
Nobody has to travel anymore (at least those that go for the selfies). We can have a bunch of fake photos of us all over the world like in that George Clooney movie Up in the Air. Or maybe they could make a sequel where instead of flying all over with a cardboard cutout Clooney just has AI photoshop it.
De-monitization of social media (Score:2)
In addition to competing with millions of other people trying to monetize their attractiveness on social media, they will have to now compete with AI generated content.
That AI generated content can be pumped out once an hour, every hour, every day for years with little or no cost. Humans cannot compete with that.
The AI generated social media content does not need to even be that great, it just needs to reduce attention humans get by a few percentage points.
Re: (Score:2)
I use google streetview to do "virtual vacations" anyway
Actual story link (Score:5, Informative)
[1]https://www.404media.co/instag... [404media.co]
I would say this place has become a joke, but I don't see anyone laughing.
[1] https://www.404media.co/instagram-begins-randomly-showing-users-ai-generated-images-of-themselves/
Re: (Score:2)
> [1]https://www.404media.co/instag... [404media.co]
> I would say this place has become a joke, but I don't see anyone laughing.
These days it's pretty much just useful for trolling. I want Cowboy Neal back.
[1] https://www.404media.co/instagram-begins-randomly-showing-users-ai-generated-images-of-themselves/
Awesome (Score:3, Insightful)
I'll take creepy as fuck things for 1000, Bob!
Perhaps i this day of rampant narcissism, where some people fill their phones with endless selfies, they will simply find this as validation.
Of course those people are creepy as fuck too
Re: (Score:1)
Kind of makes me think of Total Recall.
Recall Salesman - "Have you ever considered taking a vacation from yourself? We call it the Ego Trip."
Re: (Score:2)
> Kind of makes me think of Total Recall.
> Recall Salesman - "Have you ever considered taking a vacation from yourself? We call it the Ego Trip."
Yeah, but at least in Total Recall...he got to bang a VERY hot, young Sharon Stone...
And hell, if you had one of those at home....no need to travel anywhere.
Re: (Score:2)
>> Kind of makes me think of Total Recall.
>> Recall Salesman - "Have you ever considered taking a vacation from yourself? We call it the Ego Trip."
> Yeah, but at least in Total Recall...he got to bang a VERY hot, young Sharon Stone...
> And hell, if you had one of those at home....no need to travel anywhere.
Interesting direction this conversation is heading. 8^) And yes, Ms Stone was a fetching lass.
Re: (Score:1)
> I'll take creepy as fuck things for 1000, Bob!
AI: Take a look at this generated Ol Olsoc image doing creepy fucking.
How do they do that? (Score:2)
My Instagram account I created with fake credentials. How do they know what I look like?
Re: (Score:2)
It won't surprise me when accounts like yours reveal to their owners that their assumed anonymity was long ago broken by data mining.
These people have no ethics or conscience, to them you are no a human being, you are just a resource to exploit for advertising revenue.
Futura ad trial balloon (Score:2, Troll)
It's pretty obviously a trial balloon for future advertising, where your image is inserted in scenarios depicting shit they'd like you to buy. "This could be you at [tourism destination]!", or "Wouldn't it be nice to stand in a kitchen like this?", and so on.
There's no depth these people won't plumb.
On the other hand, it's fascinating to see our civilization so determined to speedrun every single cyberpunk trope while not exhibiting an ounce of awareness about cyberpunk being *a warning*.
Re:Future ad trial balloon (Score:3)
> It's pretty obviously a trial balloon for future advertising
You are likely right, and this is going to be devastatingly effective way to advertise. AI generated unskippable video clip of you being healthy and happy, surrounded by approving relatives and friends all as the result of consuming product XYZ going to be a very effective in fucking with your psyche.
Re: (Score:3)
> You are likely right, and this is going to be devastatingly effective way to advertise. AI generated unskippable video clip of you being healthy and happy, surrounded by approving relatives and friends all as the result of consuming product XYZ going to be a very effective in fucking with your psyche.
I guess maybe with some people that would be the effect.
It would have the opposite effect on me...would creep me the fuck out.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, we're definitely living in every cyberpunk dystopia ever imagined. It's like watching a mass casualty event evolving in slow motion.
Social media limits (Score:2)
I've refused to join instagram and tik tok because I have enough social media crap in my life already.
Re: (Score:2)
> I've refused to join instagram and tik tok because I have enough social media crap in my life already.
I've refused to join them because I already have fuck-all in the way of social media in my life and I insist on keeping it that way.
Just another reminder (Score:2)
If there was ever a chance the old adage might slip from the public consciousness, the one that goes, "If you aren't paying for the product, you ARE the product", something like this will pop up to remind you of your place in the food chain.
Going for gold... (Score:2)
...in the olympics of crap
Every time I read about some stoopid AI crap, I think.. this is the bottom, it can't get any worse
And then it does
Meanwhile, Deep Mind is actually doing useful work
Fuck Meta (Score:2)
I deleted my Instagram account a while back. Glad I did.
I'm reluctantly still on Facebook, but I wrote a little [1]survival guide [skoll.ca] for thwarting the worst of Meta's crap.
[1] https://dianne.skoll.ca/writings/how-to-use-facebook/
Walter Mitty (Score:2)
> ... users in various situations ...
cops (Score:2)
Cops are going to love AI showing you committing a crime.
Editor strikes out again. (Score:5, Informative)
The first link goes to an article about Google search and AI, and has absolutely nothing to do with the post.
Re: (Score:3)
> The first link goes to an article about Google search and AI, and has absolutely nothing to do with the post.
Just think of the link as advance notice of an upcoming Slashdot story. After all, it is still News for Nerds...